Wire-stretcher.



No. 868,645. PATENTED OCT. 22, 1907.

J. A. GLEMENTS.

WIRE STRBTGHER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29. 1907.

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No. 868,645. PATENTED OCT. 22, 1907.

J. A. (ELEMENTS.

WIRE STRETGHER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1907.

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JAMES A. OLEMENTS, OF ABINGDON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO JAMES W. HUNTER, ONll-FOURTH TO CHARLES W. ROBERTSON, AND ONE-FOURTH TO ALBERT R.

(ELEMENTS, ALL OF ABINGDON, ILLINOIS.

WIRE-STRETCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 22, 1907.

Application filed January 29, 1907- Serial No. 354,723.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Janus A. GLnMENTs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Abingdon, in the county of Knox and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire-Stretchers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has relation to new and useful improvements in wire stretcher-s for woven or other wire fences, and has for its object the production of a reversible rotary wire stretcher of simple and economical construction capable of exerting an immense pull or strain upon the fence being stretched and of being operated with greater rapidity and with more efficient results with less time and labor than any of the machines commonly employed for this purpose.

My invention is of such construction that any possi bility of a backward or unwinding movement by reason of the strain of the fence on the tightening chain, when the operator releases the turning crank, is obviated.

With these and other objects in view that will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, my invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as illustrated in the drawings and set forth in the specification and claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention in operative position, a fence post and a portion of the fence being stretched, a clamping device and an anchoring device, preferably used in connection with my invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of my in veution; Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of my invention, on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. l is a side elevation of one of the side arms comprising the frame of my invention; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the other arm comprising the frame.

My invention is described as follows :The numeral 1 represents the frame of my invention, which is c0n1- posed of two elongated horizontal side arms 2 and 3 provided with bearings 4 near their inner ends and a suitable distance outward of said bearings, transverse perforations 5. The rear ends of said arms preferably turn inward and are provided on their inner faces with inwardly extending flanges 6. Said arms then extend horizontally outward and are provided on their inner faces outward of said inwardly-extending flanges G, with inwardly-extending flanges 7. The outer ends of said arms terminate in inwardly-turned jaws 8, having engaging means 9, in their inner faces. One of said side arms is also provided'at its front end with an inwardly-turned finger 10 terminating in a guard extension 11, the purpose of which will be disclosed. The numeral 12 represents a combined cog and chain wheel, which consists of a large cog wheel 13 having secured to its inner face in any desirable manner, a small chain wheel 14. Said combined cog and chain wheel is provided with its own journals which work in said bearings 4 of said frame arms, said journals passing through said bearings and being practically flush therewith and forming the axle of said wheel, the said axle being provided with a hole to accommodatea bolt 15 provided with a washer oneach end large enough to cover the ends of said journals and to extend beyond and over said journal ends in order to catch and to hold the arms of said frame in place over said journals when the nuts 3 are firmly set on the washers. At the same time the said journals are free to work in said bearings 4in the most perfect and satisfactory manner possible. An axle 16 is journaled in transverse bearings 5 of said frame arms and has rigidly secured thereto in position to mesh with said cog wheel 13 of said cog and chain wheel 12, a pinion 17. The outer ends of said axle are preferably made square to permit a crank 18 to be applied thereto to turn said axle and thus effect the rotation of said pinion 17, the purpose of which will be disclosed. A pawl or chock 19 is pivoted at its rear end to the body of a bolt 20 or other equivalent means, secured transversely in the frame arm adjacent said pinion 17. The free end of said pawl is preferably held in working engagement with said pinion by a spring 21. The rear end of said pawl or chock 19 is of preferably circular form and works in a corresponding socket joint 23 secured to the inner face of the frame arm adjacent said pinion 17. 24 represents the tightening chain, having engaging means 25 at one end.

My invention is especially designed to be used in connection with my improved clamping and anchoring devices for which I have made application Serial N 0. 353,313 for Letters Patent, and when so used, one end of the tightening chain is secured in the outer end of hitch 26 removably attached to the clampingdevice 27 to which the horizontal line wires of a woven or other wire fence are secured. Said chain is adapted to be engaged by said chain wheel 14 of said chain and cog wheel 12, the guard extension 11 of said inwardlycurved finger 10 preventing the surplus end of said chain from coming in contact with its straining or inner end. The outer end of my stretcher is held in position by securing the inner faces of said frame arms between said inwardly-extending flanges 6 and 7 to the vertical part 28 of a substantially "(I-shaped frame 29 of said anchoring device.

In use, said crank 18 is applied to either end of said axle 16, and turned to the right or left causing said axle and pinion 17 to rotate, which pinion engages the teeth of said cog Wheel 13 and effects the rotation of said cog and chain wheel 12, the said chain wheel 14 engaging the tightening chain 24, which chain through the medium of the said clamping device, strains the horizontal fence wires until the desired tension is secured. During this operation, the pawl or chock 19 engages the teeth of the said pinion 17 and prevents reverse rotation of the chain wheel at every point. When the desired tension of the fence wires is secured, the operator may im mediately transfer the strain on axle 16 to said pawl or chock 19, in which case the outer end of said pawl works in the socket or ball joint 23 01' the adjacent frame arm and prevents the displacement of said pivot bolt 15.

It will be observed that when I employ my anchoring and clamping devices in conjunction with my invention, the stretcher is suspended horizontally in direct line of draft with the wire in hand out of the way of the end postof the wire fence, which is the best possible position. By providing a stretcher oi such construction as to facilitate the use of a crank for turning the chain wheel, I have made a decided improvement over such stretchers as employ lever operating devices.

My invention is susceptible of various changes without departing from the spirit thereof.

My stretcher is not necessarily used in connection with my clamping and anchoring devices, but may be secured in position by any other means desirable.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is 1. The combination in a wire stretcher, of a frame comprising two side arms, terminating at the outer ends in inwardly-curved jaws having recesses in the inner faces, one of said arms terminating at its inner end in an inwardly curved finger having a guard extension; :1 cog wheel journaled to said frame; a chain wheel secured to the inner face of said cog wheel; a pinion journaled to said frame in position to mesh with said cog wheel; means for rotating said pinion, with means for preventing reverse rotation of said pinion, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a wire stretcher of a frame c0mprising two side arms, terminating at their outer ends in inwardly-curved recessed jaws and having inwardly-extending flanges on their inner faces near their inner ends; a chain wheel journaled between said frame bars; a tightening chain adapted to be engaged by said chain wheel; means for rotating said chain Wheel with means for preventing reverse rotation of said chain wheel, substantially as described.

3. The combination in a wire stretcher, of a frame terminating at its outer end in recessed jaws and having in- JAMES A. CLEMENTS.

Witnesses C. W. ROBERTSON, W. L. FAIRCHILD. 

